Christmas tree base



C. E. HUF F CHRISTMAS TREE BASE June 6, 1961 Filed Jan. 20, 1959 ill Il ...JL

FIG-3 INVENTOR. CLYDE E. HUF'F BY @l IO I United States Patent O 2,987,282 CHRISTMAS TREE BASE Clyde E. Hulf, 1701 E. Sprague, Spokane, Wash. FiledJan. 20, 1959, Ser. No. 787,896 1 Claim. (Cl. 248-48) The present invention is a collapsible base for an upright standard.

Frequently a need is found for an inexpensive base of simple construction which may be quickly and easily put into use for supportinga vvertical standard at a temporary location. VThere are many uses for a base of this type. For illustration, supports for temporary traic control signs on paved streets, the standard or pole of ags or other similar articles, and for supporting a Christmas tree during the appropriate season.

'I'here are two major types of bases now employed for supporting standards. One is the extremely inexpensive and temporary type such as the crossed pieces of wood secured to the bottom of a Christmas tree by a nail, and the other is the permanent type comprising a radially enlarged base having means for permanently or releasably securing a standard in upright position. Of these permanent bases, some are foldable or collapsible to a degree to facilitate storage when not in use. However, in my experience I have found that those which are foldable or collapsible to a sufcient degree to enable them to be reduced to the smallest physical size for storage are yfound to be lacking in ability to rigidly support a standard. The rigid base types cannot be folded or collapsed, and are very undesirable for this reason.

The present invention seeks to overcome these undesirable features and therefore lies in the provision of a collapsible standard base which is simple in construction, consists of a minimum number of parts which may be assembled with facility, and therefore one which is inexpensive to manufacture and simple to erect. The base of this invention is also mechanically sound, so that it rigidly supports a standard in the desired vertical position in that it transfers any stresses created by displacement of the standard from the vertical or imbalance of the standard to the base members as tension stresses which then serve to support the weight of the standard.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts, I have shown a preferred physical embodiment of my present invention. It will be understood, however, that the drawings are exemplifying only and are not intended to limit the invention, but I desire to secure to myself the device as expressly set forth in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of my improved collapsible standard base showing a portion of a standard associated therewith;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on a plane indicated by line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of one compression member;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of one tension member; and

FIGURE 5 is an edge view of the tension member of FIGURE 4.

In the drawing, the numeral indicates the standard which may be the base of a Christmas tree, the pole of a ag, support post for a sign or athletic equipment, or any other type of vertical member which may be supported in this manner. When I employ the term standard throughout this specification and claim I include every use of which the base is found to be susceptible and not only those specific ones recited herein.

It will be noted that the lower end of the standard rests upon the upper face 11 of the upper crossed tension 2,987,282 Patented June 6, 1961 member 12 which is disposed at right angles to the lower vcrossed tension member 13 and resting upon its upper face 14. At suitable points, portions of the longitudinal edges are deflected out of their planes as seen at 15 on each of the tension members 12 and 13. And it will be noted vthat each tension member is formed in the same manner, but one is inverted upon the other, thereby reducing to a minimum the machinery required for the manufacture thereof. The deilected portions 15 preventaccidental rotation or; movement of the tension members 12 and -13 from their crossed relative positions.

Midway the length of each tension member, I provide an aperture 16 which when the members are superimposed in crossed relationship results in the apertures 16 communicating one with the other. A nail or other releasable securing device 17 having a head 18 extends upwardly through the communicating apertures 16 and is releasably secured in the bottom portion of the standard 10. Obviously if the standard were metal, a threaded bolt or wedge or other securing means could be employed, whereas with wood las shown a nail and screw are interchangeable.

Spaced from the outer free ends of the tension members 12 and 13 are axially elongated slots 19 which are formed midway the width of each tension member adjacent to its ends by deecting the portions at each side of the slots in one direction to form anges 20. At the outer end each slot has a straight edge 21 which constitutes a keeper as will be subsequently clarified. It will be noted that with the tension members disposed one in inverted position from the other, the anges 20 of the tension member 13 extend upwardly while those of the tension member 12 extend downwardly.

Bar-like compression members 22 have a cross sectional coniiguration and size which adapts them to pass through the slots 19 at close tolerances. At their upper ends each compression member 22 is provided with a penetrating point 23, while its outer edge 24 has a recess 25 formed therein which is adapted to interlock with its companion keeper 21 as clearly seen in FIGURE l of the drawing. At their lower ends the compression members 22 are provided with flat faces 26 which are angled to rest upon a dat supporting surface and constitute supporting feet.

It will be noted that the flanges 20 provide an elongated side wall dimension to the slots 19 whereby to provide adequate lateral support to each compression member 22. With the standard l10 supported on the tension members 12 and 13 as indicated, the weight of the standard endeavors to ex the tension members downwardly, but with the penetrating points 23 imbedded into the standard, these downward pressures are transferred to the compression members as compression stresses which are transferred again to the tension members as tension stresses by reason of the interlocking recesses 25 and keepers 21 so that these tensions are employed to support the weight of the standard 10. In this manner then the weight of the standard is supported by the tension members and compression members and ultimately on the supporting feet 26. Obviously any imbalance of the standard to tilt from the vertical will create additional compression stresses in the compression member or members toward which it is tilting, and these stresses will be absorbed by the tension members as previously described.

To disassemble, it is only necessary to remove the penetrating points and fastener 1f] from the standard, at which time all of the compression members and tension members may be separated in independent pieces and then stacked one upon another to provide a very diminutive package for storage and shipping.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A collapsible standard base comprising a pair of crossed exible tension members having communicating apertures therethrough; a fastener extending through said apertures and Yadapted to be removably xed inthe end of a stand- '.ard; each said tension member, adjacent to its outer end, having an axially elongated slot extending vertically there- 5 through, the outer edge of said slot constituting a keeper; 4compression members having cross sectional configurations Vof a size and shape to pass through said slots; recesses on 'the outer edge of said compression members for interlocking with saidV keepers to releasably secure said com- 10 'pression members against downward movement through said slots beyond a predetermined point; and penetrating points at the upper ends of said compression members for imbedding in a standard at a point removed from the end fin which said fastener is adapted to be xed, whereby to 15 4 set up compression stresses in said compression members through tilting movements of a standard Vand to convert said compression stresses to tension stresses in said tension members to therebyincrease the resistance to deflection of the tension members to support a standard in a vertical position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 589,896 Jarboe Sept. 14, 1897 926,638 Barton June 29, 1909 1,393,052 Tanking Oct. 11, 1921 1,653,225 OLoughlin Dec. 20, 1927 1,721,980 Wardell July 23, 1929 

